Eight
1315 Words
"What about the lady I asked you to watch?" he says and start fixing his cuff. The servant nodded before handing him the document.
"The lady is actually... the only daughter of Sir Rudy Arkwright," he says and the other eyes twinkle.
"Really?" he grinned, "The only daughter of Master?"
Rudy Arkwright is the only teacher of his since he was shunned by his own country. When he was a child, there was an accident where his boat was ambushed and the only one who survived was him and he had landed on the nearby shore after getting his life on a piece of wood when he jumped that stormy night.
"Yes and..." the servant stopped and was measuring the reaction of his master.
"And what?" he excitedly asked and his eyes twinkled.
"The crown prince's fiancee."
His eyes were amazed and more interested, so that he could not help but smile.
"Hah, interesting!"
***
The banquet is fast approaching and every noble lady in the house has been preparing. The secrecy of the announcement, of course, cannot escape the spies of the noble. Including Duke Reymond Fuentebella.
"If she would be crowned as the first concubine, the support of the people would be with her," he grinned, "And the faction between the royal supporters and us, the noble faction, will be balanced," says by him.
"That is right," says the other. And then the noble faction had decided to protect Lady Aristella.
Of course, not everyone is by her side. Especially Her Majesty the Queen.
She grabbed one of her hench men and got the belladonna poison in his hands. The ceremony includes the first concubine to undergo an ordination with the temple. Thus, there is an event where she needs to drink holy water from the well.
"Aris... Aris... Aris..." and her eyes are full of contempt and she looks so cold, "I've warned you so many times. I really don't know what to do with you anymore..." she cannot even go near her, because the king has issued a restraining order against the queen. Because whenever they saw each other, Lady Aristella gets hurt.
"Make sure to put this in the holy water, priest," she said, and put the belladonna poison on the table. The priest had flinched at her but she smiled sweetly. "Or else, I don't even know what I will do with your family..."
"Y- yes, Your Majesty!" he says with his eyes closed. He did not know how he got into that situation. But one day, when he was in the temple, he accidentally heard a speech that he should not hear and Her Majesty had him dance in her palms from that day on.
"Good..." and turned to her maid, "And put this on the food of my beloved husband. I think I have been lenient with him. I need to teach him a lesson," a sweet smile with a very mysterious and different aura flashed across her face that made her look more dangerous.
The servants zip their mouths, while her knight is used to these kind of situation. Since the day he had vowed in front of her, he promised that he would be her sword, and his life was hers. That whatever she did, he did not care and would blindly follow her. Even if it means eliminating all the people in the Empire.
That's Marquis Ezekiel Ender. One of the most powerful men in the Empire.
"Leave us alone," she said, and the servants took that cue to get out of the room. They left quietly, leaving the two with straight faces and weighing each other's gaze.
"Why don't you just kill the King?" he asked, and the Queen flinched at his question. Then she laughed so hard that it could be heard outside, and those who did not know her would think she was crazy. Besides, who would not be crazy?
When she had calmed down, her expression is more ominous while smiling.
"If it was easy, I would have done that ages ago!" she said and this time, that anger was rushing out from her and an ominous violet aura was looking from her, "But fret now, my knight..." she grinned. The Marquis had stayed silent.
"I will do it slowly! Making him suffer until he kneels and pleaded for his life to me! I will take everything from him and make him feel the regret and hatred I had all these years! I will not stop until I kill him!" she says and laughed hard. The Marquis had no choice but to close his eyes and cast her a sleeping magic.
On the other hand, Prince Ezekiel had grabbed the arms of the maid she had asked earlier to put the small pouch earlier.
"P- prince!" before she could says his name, he immediately covered his mouth.
"My mother really does not rest," he says with a cold expression, "And very meticulous. Too bad she had a son like me,"
And this is the other reason why not all her plans to assassinate the King had succeed. Prince Daniel had another thing in his mind on how to do something to his father. And now is not the right time to do so as things were not going well with another Kingdom.
Also... to prepare for his other plans.
***
"Lady Arcana," and the butler arrived at the scene with the umbrellas she asked for and the desk chair. She grinned.
"My Lady!" and Opil had immediately covered her up. Arcana grinned. Before she had come to this world, she was a highly paid cook at a five-star hotel. She gets to enjoy life luxuriously. In fact, she had a beach house which she wanted to introduce to her boyfriend back then.
Remembering that boy makes her blood boil. She got up and took the orange juice that the maid had prepared for her.
"Did you get what I asked for?" she asked the butler and sweats started trailing off from him. He is wearing a full suit from head to toe, and his clothes are undeniably so hot.
"Aha!" she grinned, "Go and change the summer clothes that I had prepared for you. I'll be waiting here." she says, and enjoys the scenery before her. When suddenly, royal knights had gathered around her and the head had come to relay the message to his master.
"Greetings, Lady Arcana," he bowed to her, "Prince Daniel wanted to see you."
At his tone, Arcana knew that they were not beating around the bush. That is not a question, but an order from the Prince. And as his subject, they are obliged to follow. If they don't like to see their heads rolling.
"Tell him I don't want to see him," she sipped on her juice again.
"I apologize, my, but he strictly told to---"
"The last time we talked, I told him that I do not want to see his face again." she gritted her teeth. "I will not come with you." she said firmly when she noticed that the knight did not say any words and they turned into someone.
His red eyes are like a ruby that glistens in this weather.
He is really handsome, can't deny it.
She says. But his mere presence made her shiver down to her spine. The memories of Arcana with him are good, but his image of her is like he is a grim reaper there to take her life anytime he wants it.
Why must he keep coming? Our engagement had already been annulled!
"How are you, my Lady?" he said and kissed my hand. I feel so stressed when he felt against my arms. But it was nice.
Arcana flinched and turned her head.
"I- I'm fine!" she said and stuttered.
"Let's talk," he said coldly, and Arcana looked at him.
- Writer
